Short Summary

THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNIST VIETCONG ARE ENGAGED IN AN ALL OUT RECRUITMENT DRIVE AS THE LONG WAR IN VIETNAM APPEARS TO MOVE TOWARDS ANOTHER CRISIS.

Description

THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNIST VIETCONG ARE ENGAGED IN AN ALL OUT RECRUITMENT DRIVE AS THE LONG WAR IN VIETNAM APPEARS TO MOVE TOWARDS ANOTHER CRISIS.MEANWHILE, UNITED STATES MARINES WHO WERE ENGAGED IN A SWEEP OPERATION NEAR THE DANANG AIRBASE ON MONDAY (JULY 12), CLEARED THE AREA OF LAND MINES AND REPAIRED TELEPHONE LINES DESTROYED BY COMMUNIST VIET CONG.

THE SWEEP OPERATION TOOK THE MARINES THROUGH THE LE MY VILLAGE, ONLY THREE MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE VITAL AIRBASE, WHICH HAD LONG BEEN CONTROLLED BY THE VIETCONG.IT RESULTED IN 22 VIETCONG KILLED AND MARINE CASUALTIES WERE FOUR KILLED AND 14 WOUNDED.TWO MARINE F-R PHANTOM JETS SUPPORTED THE GROUND ELEMENTS.

THE MARINES, LOOKING EXHAUSTED AFTER THE FIERCE BATTLE, TOOK MORE THAN AN HOUR TO REPAIR DAMAGED TELEPHONE WIRE AND TO CLEAR THE ROADS OF LAND MINES.

IN THE MEANTIME, FOREIGN ALLIES ARE POURING MEN INTO VIETNAM.THE UNITED STATES IS INCREASING ITS CONTRIBUTION IMMEDIATELY TO MORE THAN 70,000 MEN, WITH AN EXPECTED TARGET OF BETWEEN 100,000 AND 120,000 FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.ON THE OTHER HAND, COMMUNIST NORTH VIETNAM IS BELIEVED TO HAVE COMMITTED MORE THAN 10,000 MEN TO SERVICE WITH THE VIETCONG WHO ALREADY HAVE ABOUT 65,000 REGULAR TROOPS IN THE FIELD WITH 80,000 IN VARYING DEGREES OF PART TIME SERVICE.